...the long & the short of it...

LONG- I have been working very LONG days and shifts lately. This past week I worked about 70 hours in a 5 day period. Yikes!


SHORT-This past Wednesday the captain informed the crew that we are once again experiencing a water SHORTage. The captain asked us to ration water and limit the use of water to only essential needs. The crew laundry room was closed. We started using disposable dishes in the dining room. We stopped changing bed linen in the hospital unless it was very soiled or a new patient was coming in. We covered all the shower heads in the hospital bathrooms with plastic bags and have implemented having our patients take bucket baths instead of showers. We were reminded once again to be taking true “ship-showers” which involves getting wet, shutting off the water, soaping up & applying shampoo, turning the water on to rinse off the soap, turning the water off, then applying conditioner, then running the water one last time to get the conditioner out. A process that SHOULD limit water use to less than 2 minutes total per crew member, per shower. (Because of my long shifts, & being too tired to shower, I personally haven’t washed my hair in a week, scarves work just fine& I have had baby-wipe showers since Tuesday. I was hoping for a longer shower this weekend, using a few of the minutes I didn’t use during the week, but that won’t be happening). We closed down part of Starbucks because it takes too much water to wash the blenders and coffee making devices (I don’t drink coffee anyway and cannot fathom drinking a hot drink when it is hotter than Hades outside, so this cutback hasn’t hurt my feelings too much, but I have some co-workers who seriously need their coffee every day, so this could be an issue). We were informed that when all the water sloshed out of the swimming pool that it would not be filled again. (I have dreamed of using the swimming pool, but have been too tired even on my days off to walk the 5 flights of stairs that would lead me to the swimming pool that is made out of shipping containers and sits on top of the ship, so even if I had the energy, I guess I won’t be using it anytime soon). We also started the “if it’s yellow, let it mellow & if it’s brown flush it down” motto.


With all these cutbacks we hoped that we would have enough water to continue surgical operations, run the sterilizer, cook, and maintain adequate amounts of water to drink. The captain requested more water trucks to come to the ship- knowing that even if water was delivered we would still need to ration water because it takes up to 72 hours to treat the water we receive to make it clean enough to use.


The water didn’t come. And even with all the cutbacks mentioned above, somehow we consumed 15% MORE water on Thursday and Friday than last year at the same time, on a busy day, with ALL usage of water permitted. Yesterday, the captain closed the crew galley, we are no longer allowed to wash personal dishes, or bake on our own, because this requires water usage. The galley won’t be allowed to serve lettuce & other fresh vegetables because it takes too much water to wash and clean them. The water supply to the showers was cut off. All hot water was shut off. We are trying to supply enough water to flush the toilets and wash our hands. The captain is looking at different ways to supply water to the ward and the captain is looking to see if there is a leak or if we are losing water somewhere. We are praying that we receive a water delivery, but were told that the sources that may deliver water are not as reliable as normal and the water we receive may be dirtier than normal, requiring more time to treat it and make it safe to use. ALL that to say- we are SHORT off water: please pray.


LONG- My orthopedic patients are getting LONGer legs & arms as we provide surgeries to straighten what was crooked, to re-align what was out of line, & to stretch what has been curved. I love my patients!


SHORT- I am not the only one working overtime, many of the other hospital managers are working crazy hours too. Tempers & patience may soon be running SHORT: please pray.


LONG- I LONG for God to continue filling me with his strength, wisdom, energy, patience, love, gentleness, kindness, goodness, and passion to continue serving the people of Sierra Leone!